Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick backed book bans, extremist school board candidates

Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick claims to be an advocate for public education, but in office he has backed efforts to disempower teachers and ban books.

Fitzpatrick, who represents Pennsylvania’s first district, is currently running for a fifth term in Congress. His Democratic opponent is Army veteran Ashely Ehasz.

Fitzpatrick presents himself as a moderate Republican, emphasizing priorities that aren’t typically linked to conservative platforms. His campaign website highlights a commitment to advancing LGBTQ equality and combating climate change. His page on education policy also strikes a centrist, pragmatic tone.

“Education is a right, not a privilege, and in Congress, I promise to continue to be an advocate for our children, fighting for access, resources, and funding,” the site says. “It is also imperative we take care of those who are shaping and molding the minds of our future generations. In Congress, I’m dedicated to promoting education while reducing the cost and fighting for our teachers.”

Despite these pledges, Fitzpatrick voted in March 2023 to back H.R. 5, also known as the Parents Bill of Rights Act. This bill would require public schools to make classroom curriculums and library catalogs public. It also would require students to obtain parental consent to change their gender-identifying pronouns in the classroom.

Opponents of the law said it opened the door to book bans and unwarranted scrutiny of teachers. The bill was also accused of violating the privacy rights of LGBTQ students. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, blasted the bill as a political gimmick.

“H.R. 5 has very little to do with actually helping students or parents,” Weingarten said in a statement. “Instead, it would require schools to divert their limited resources from teaching, censor education, ban books, and harm children who are just trying to be themselves and live their lives in peace. Our kids deserve better. All of us do.”

The Parents Bill of Rights Act passed the House with only Republican votes. It has since been stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

In November 2023, Fitzpatrick endorsed three candidates for the Central Bucks School Board. Each of these candidates were also supported by Moms for Liberty, a far-right activist group that has pushed for book bans and anti-LGBTQ policies. 

All three of the candidates Fitzpatrick endorsed lost their elections.

Ehasz has been endorsed by the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Federation of Teachers.